3 questions, help required

[Parafox]

Q 1) I have burrowing bees in my garden how do i deal with them as I need to get rid. I have been told they are protected and can't be disturbed or harmed. What do i do?

Q 2) My daughter has moved into a neglected council house, she lives alone. She has a large garden overgrown with weeds and nettles. Whats the quickest and easiest way to tidy it, the overgrowth is too much for a domestic strimmer, I've tried... took 90 mins to clear 4sq metres and the garden's about 400sq mtrs.

Q 3) I have a new android phone. I have 250mgb of internet access free per month. What does this mean? I use internet for IM's and some youtube music clips and occasional facebook updates. How long will 250mgb last? I cant find the info on Vodaphones website, which isn't very helpful

Cheers guys.

[Webbo]

Q2)You can HIRE more powerful strimmers. I used one the same as this on my mother's garden last year.

[AoWW]

Q2) It's also possible to hire heavy-duty mowers, or even ride-on mowers. It's not particularly cheap to do so but it would get the job done fairly quickly and painlessly. Try google for a business in your area.

[Jackirius]

1) Just kill them, a friend had them once and did so. How will anyone find out?

2) Weedkiller or more powerful strimmer?

3) 250 megabites of internet is fairly low. Try not too watch too much media on it, but aslong as you dont use it constantly you should be fine. Also there should be a way to find out how much you have used for the month.

[Trav Le Bleu]

How many burrowing bees? If I remember correctly they tend to be quite territorial and therefore don't tend be too close together, making them less of a problem than say swarming bees.

[The Year Of The Fox]

Try eden garden services based in coleorton if your living this direction.

Where are your bees burrowing? My grandpa had bees nesting under his patio and under his outer conservatory wall. Whether this mades them 'burrowing bees' I dont know- but he was informed by a friend (someone who worked quite high up at NWLDC on the park and garden maintenance) just to put bee wasp powder down over the holes where the bees emerge from. That will do the trick

[Trav Le Bleu]

From Wikipedia

Endangered status Bumble bees are in danger in many developed countries due to habitat destruction and collateral pesticide damage. In Britain, until relatively recently, 19 species of native true bumble bee were recognised along with six species of cuckoo bumble bees. Of these, three have been extirpated,[24][25] eight are in serious decline, and only six remain widespread.[26] Similar declines in bumble bees have been reported in Ireland, with 4 species being designated endangered, and another two species considered vulnerable to extinction.[27] A decline in bumble bee numbers could cause large-scale changes to the countryside, leading to inadequate pollination of certain plants. The world's first bumble bee sanctuary was established at Vane Farm in the Loch Leven National Nature Reserve in Scotland in 2008.[28

Seems I was wrong about them not nesting together too - they will form nests of up to 50 individuals.

[Parafox]

1) Just kill them, a friend had them once and did so. How will anyone find out?

2) Weedkiller or more powerful strimmer?

3) 250 megabites of internet is fairly low. Try not too watch too much media on it, but aslong as you dont use it constantly you should be fine. Also there should be a way to find out how much you have used for the month.

Many thanks for these, Jack and AoWW and Webbo. If I just use IM's is it right that an hours worth is about 1 meg?

[Parafox]

Try eden garden services based in coleorton if your living this direction.

Where are your bees burrowing? My grandpa had bees nesting under his patio and under his outer conservatory wall. Whether this mades them 'burrowing bees' I dont know- but he was informed by a friend (someone who worked quite high up at NWLDC on the park and garden maintenance) just to put bee wasp powder down over the holes where the bees emerge from. That will do the trick

Burrowing in a small bank where the grass ends and the patio begins. Not in huge numbers but enough to be a nuisance. I will try the powder, thanks stu.

[Jackirius]

Many thanks for these, Jack and AoWW and Webbo. If I just use IM's is it right that an hours worth is about 1 meg?

Yep, if you're just using IM it wont take up much at all.

[Parafox]

How many burrowing bees? If I remember correctly they tend to be quite territorial and therefore don't tend be too close together, making them less of a problem than say swarming bees.

Not huge numbers.. see above reply. I dont think they're Bumble bees. they're smaller darker and flatter in appearance. we were told nobody would come out and deal with them unless they swarmed. I think these little buggers are anti-social, they seem to appear singly but we still cant have windows or patio open because they obviously get into the house. I don't like them, whether they operate solo or in gangs.

[The Year Of The Fox]

Not huge numbers.. see above reply. I dont think they're Bumble bees. they're smaller darker and flatter in appearance. we were told nobody would come out and deal with them unless they swarmed. I think these little buggers are anti-social, they seem to appear singly but we still cant have windows or patio open because they obviously get into the house. I don't like them, whether they operate solo or in gangs.

They sound exactly like the ones my grandpa had. His friend also said no-one would really deal with them, which pissed me off, as both grandparents are quite old. To be fair that powder done the trick though. As with yours, theirs were under the crack between the border of the patio and grass, and as said, between the patio slab that butted up to the conservatory wall.

There were certainly a lot of them, so I'd say they operate in swarms.

[Uncle Phil]

Why do you need to get rid of the bees? Try and find out what species they are, post a pic if you like and I'll I.d them, if they're solitary (sometimes nest near each other but individually) or miner bee's they don't swarm, don't have stings and are completely harmless.

[Len Finsbury]

Mining bees are solitary bees and each adult one you see is probably a female making a nest. They dig the burrow, deposit the eggs with a nectar/pollen solution as a food supply for the larva and then die. Solitary bees are quite safe in gardens with children as they only sting when absolutely necessary. They can be handled without too much worry too. They're important for pollination, leave them alone, they won't hurt.

[Parafox]

Why do you need to get rid of the bees? Try and find out what species they are, post a pic if you like and I'll I.d them, if they're solitary (sometimes nest near each other but individually) or miner bee's they don't swarm, don't have stings and are completely harmless.

Mining bees are solitary bees and each adult one you see is probably a female making a nest. They dig the burrow, deposit the eggs with a nectar/pollen solution as a food supply for the larva and then die. Solitary bees are quite safe in gardens with children as they only sting when absolutely necessary. They can be handled without too much worry too. They're important for pollination, leave them alone, they won't hurt.

This sounds much more like the ones we have. I really don't want to kill them and TBH thus far they haven't seemed aggressive. If we can live in peace with each other then so much the better. It's actually quite interesting to watch them come and go from the burrows. Just my wife and daughter are a bit unsure of them

[Guest Mee-9]

1) Borrow a smoke grenade off the Fosse Boys, that'll get rid of the buggers.

[Phube]

I too have bees ( not sure what type, they seem to be between bricks and the floor, look like honey bees, definitely not bumble) they fly in and out all day long, fascinating to watch, like Heathrow!

But why kill them, bees are docile creatures, my 21 month old loves watching them too no trouble what so ever.

Leave them bee!

[Alexikokopops]

Q 3) I have a new android phone. I have 250mgb of internet access free per month. What does this mean? I use internet for IM's and some youtube music clips and occasional facebook updates. How long will 250mgb last? I cant find the info on Vodaphones website, which isn't very helpful

For the iPhone there's an app called My Vodafone where you an keep up with your usage (it's usually a day or two behind). See if there's a similar one for Android.

[nothin2seehere]

3g watchdog or PhoneUsage will tell you the amount of data you've used each month. The latter app also tracks text messages and phone calls.

You shouldn't get anywhere near 250GB with IM and Facebook; the Youtube clips I'd worry about if there's more than a handful a day. I'd ask Voda what they do if you go over your limit - e.g. charge per MB or just a warning of sorts.

[Jackirius]

You shouldn't get anywhere near 250GB with IM and Facebook;

Now that would be a hell of an effort.

[Parafox]

All above is very helpful advice thanks so much

[nothin2seehere]

Now that would be a hell of an effort.

Oops! Clearly not thinking straight.

[BoneDog]

When the bees disappear, most of us disappear with them. And the science people say that they are already vanishing at an alarming rate. We canna live weeout them. Very important creatures.

Colony Collapse Disorder y'all. Being allowed to happen in a town near you so that in a few years we are forced to use GM crops for EVERRRRRRRRR.

[Steven]

1) Borrow a smoke grenade off the Fosse Boys, that'll get rid of the buggers.

[BrummieFOX]

Not huge numbers.. see above reply. I dont think they're Bumble bees. they're smaller darker and flatter in appearance. we were told nobody would come out and deal with them unless they swarmed. I think these little buggers are anti-social, they seem to appear singly but we still cant have windows or patio open because they obviously get into the house. I don't like them, whether they operate solo or in gangs.

Haha!!

Very Karl Pilkington.